THE HAGUE, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The iconic Vondelkerk church in the Dutch capital Amsterdam was almost destroyed by a fire early Thursday morning, the Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported.
The flames broke out shortly before 1:00 a.m. local time (00:00 GMT) in the church tower located in Vondelpark, said the report.
No injuries were reported, it said, adding that dozens of nearby homes were evacuated as winds hurled burning debris into surrounding streets, with evacuated residents temporarily sheltered in a nearby yoga studio.
Firefighters and emergency crews worked through the night to bring the blaze under control and prevent it from spreading to adjacent residential buildings.
Investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
Built in 1872, the Vondelkerk served as a Roman Catholic church until 1977 and has since been used as a venue for events and small businesses. ■
